Taxonomic Importance of the Frontal Appendage in the Genus Dendrocephalus (Anostraca: Thamnocephalidae)

Morphological review of the freshwater fairy shrimp Dendrocephalus brasiliensis Pesta, 1921 (Anostraca: Thamnocephalidae)

“…When compared to other species of the genus, spines were not observed on the proximal anterior surface of the male frontal appendage arms, similar to Dendrocephalus carajaensis, Dendrocephalus geayi (Daday, 1908), Dendrocephalus sarmentosus Pereira & Belk, 1987and Dendrocephalus venezolanus Pereira, 1984(Pereira, 19831984;Pereira and Belk 1987;Rogers et al, 2012). Other species, such as Dendrocephalus affinis Pereira, 1984, Dendrocephalus goiasensis, D. orientalis, Dendrocephalus spartaenovae Margalef, 1961 and Dendrocephalus thieryi, may have one or more spines on each arm (Pereira, 1983;Rabet and Thiéry, 1996;Rabet, 2006;Cohen et al, 2014;Hirose et al, 2015).…”

“…The specimens were obtained from fish-breeding tanks of the Centro Integrado de Recursos Pesqueiros e Literature descriptions (Pesta, 1921;Lutz, 1929;Pereira, 1983;Lemos-de-Castro and Lima, 1986;Rabet and Thiéry, 1996) and identification keys (Rabet and Thiéry, 1996;Rabet, 2006;Chaves et al, 2011;Rogers et al, 2012;Hirose et al, 2015) were used for species identification. The present description was based on the observation of 60 individuals (40 males and 20 females).…”

“…The measurements were made with a stereomicroscope equipped with an imaging and measurement tool (Zeiss Stemi DV4, accuracy 0.1 mm). The terminology of branches and sub-branches is based on Pereira (1983).…”

“…The morphology of D. brasiliensis was first described by Pesta (1921) and Lutz (1929) and was subsequently revised by Pereira (1983), Lemos-de-Castro and Lima (1986) and Rabet and Thiéry (1996). Although different authors have investigated the morphology of D. brasiliensis, most descriptions (Pesta, 1921;Lutz, 1929) were performed without the standardization of morphological terminology proposed by Belk and Pereira (1982) and Pereira (1983).…”

“…Although different authors have investigated the morphology of D. brasiliensis, most descriptions (Pesta, 1921;Lutz, 1929) were performed without the standardization of morphological terminology proposed by Belk and Pereira (1982) and Pereira (1983). In addition, the description of some structures, such as branch 1V and branch 2A of the frontal appendage and thoracopods require some additional observations (see Pereira, 1983;Lemos-de-Castro and Lima, 1986;Rabet and Thiéry, 1996). Currently, information on the morphology of D. brasiliensis is fragmented into different studies, making it difficult to use.…”